The present invention relates to a sanitary device for domestic animals, which comprises a container having a bottom portion and side portions extending in a substantially vertical direction upwards from the bottom portion, and at least one liquid absorbing unit, which is arranged to be placed in the container such that it covers at least the bottom portion of the container and which is arranged to be removed from the container after use in order to be replaced by a new liquid absorbing unit.
For cats, which principally are kept indoors, a cat box is usually used in the form of an open container, which is manufactured of a plastic material. This container is arranged to be filled with a liquid absorbing litter material, which usually is cat sand. Such cat sand has the property that it at the same time as it absorbs the liquid from the waste products forms lumps. These lumps are removed from the container whereafter new cat sand is added. A disadvantage with such cat sand is that it is heavy and toilsome to transport home from a shop. Furthermore, it is common that many cat owners flush down used cat sand-in the toilet. This results in a serious wear of the sewage system and in a risk that it gets filled with mud.
From EP 0 195 221 a cat toilet is previously known, which comprises an open container and a bag insertable into the container, which bag is filled with a liquid absorbing litter material. In this document it is not precisely specified which kind of litter material is used. In the case that the litter material is cat sand, such bags are heavy. Therefore, it is not easier to transport home such bags than conventional packages with cat sand. If said bags instead are filled with a lighter kind of litter material, this material usually takes up a relatively large volume. To transport home and store bags filled with conventional litter material is toilsome since a great number of bags are heavy to carry or require a large space.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,818 a sanitary box for different kinds of domestic animals is known. The task of this sanitary box is to find out the state of health of a domestic animal by colour indications. The sanitary box comprises a container and a liquid absorbing unit of a non-usable kind, which is applicable in the container. The liquid absorbing unit has a relatively large volume because of the litter material enclosed in the package.
The object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary device for domestic animals, preferably for cats, which is simple to transport, hygienic, easy to clean and which constitute a very small load on the environment after use.
This object is achieved by the initially mentioned sanitary device which is characterised in that the liquid absorbing unit comprises at least a first liquid absorbing material which at a procurement occasion is substantially sheet-shaped and comprises at least one stamped out form and that before said liquid absorbing unit is arranged to be used, at least one area of said stamped out form is gripped and lifted upwards whereafter the area is mixed with other areas of said stamped out form such that an airy layer is formed in the container. Since the first liquid absorbing material at a procurement occasion is sheet-shaped, the liquid absorbing unit, which comprises the first liquid absorbing material, may also be made very thin. At a selling place, great numbers of such thin liquid absorbing units may be sold bundled into packages, which are easy to transport home. When the liquid absorbing unit is to be used, an area of the stamped out form of the first liquid absorbing material is lifted up and mixed such that a litter material is formed in the container, which has a considerable extension in a vertical direction. Such a loose litter material, which allows scratching, is necessary in order for a cat to accept a sanitary device. After the use, the liquid absorbing unit is preferably folded up whereafter it is removed from the container. Thereafter a new liquid absorbing unit is folded up in the container. The new liquid absorbing unit may already thereby be positioned in the container under the used one or may be placed there after that the used one has been removed. To clean the sanitary device is therefore very simple and requires only a short time.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said stamped out form forms at least one elongated portion. With such an elongated portion an airy layer is easily formed when different areas of the elongated portion are mixed together. Advantageously, said elongated portion has a helical extension. One single elongated portion with one such helical extension may be stamped out in a sheet-shaped material. Possibly, several such helical stamp outs may be provided in the same sheet-shaped material. Advantageously, said first liquid absorbing material comprises a paper material. Preferably, this paper is manufactured of waste paper.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said liquid absorbing unit comprises a second liquid absorbing material provided under the first liquid absorbing material. The task of such a second liquid absorbing material is to absorb the liquid, which passes through the first airy liquid absorbing material. Thereby, a very safe absorption of the liquid is guaranteed. Advantageously, said second liquid absorbing material comprises a plurality of thin liquid absorbing layers provided in parallel. With such thin layers provided over each other, a very effective absorbation of the liquid is achieved. These layers may comprise an absorbing tissue of a soft paper material. Alternatively, said second liquid absorbing material may comprise superabsorbents, which have a very high absorbency in relation to its weight.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said liquid absorbing unit comprises a casing having a bottom part, which comprises a liquid tight layer and is arranged to abut the bottom surface of the container. With such a bottom part it is guaranteed that the liquid supplied in large quantities during a short time period does not pass through the liquid absorbing unit. Thereby, the liquid is prevented to reach the container and it therefore does not become nasty smelling. Since the liquid can not pass through the bottom part, the liquid absorbing material is allowed to absorb the liquid during a longer time period. Thereby, the absorbed liquid may be dispersed in the liquid absorbing material. Such a liquid tight layer may, for example, comprise a wax layer or a lacquered moisture barrier. Advantageously, said casing comprises at least one side part, which is arranged to abut one of said side portions of the container. By means of such a side part, the corresponding side portion of the container is prevented from getting into direct contact with the excrement material of the domestic animal. Said side parts may be foldable over the first liquid absorbing layer. Preferably, the folded down side parts cover substantially the entire liquid absorbing material such that it principally may be completely enclosed. That is partly an advantage for unused liquid absorbing units since such a casing protects the liquid absorbing material from, for example, moisture. Such an enclosure is also an advantage for used liquid absorbing units since the handling of the used liquid absorbing unit is facilitated when the excrement material does not risk to fall out. Advantageously, said casing comprises a paper material, which preferably also is manufactured of waste paper. Said liquid absorbing unit may comprise a fastening means, which is provided between the second liquid absorbing layer and the bottom part of the casing. Thereby, the second liquid absorbing layer is maintained safely against said bottom part when, for example, a cat scratches in the container.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container is manufactured as a substantially plane shaped unit, which before use is turned up to said container-shape. Such a container, which may be turned up, has a simple construction and may be manufactured at a low cost. The container, which may be turned up, may, for example, be sold together with a package enclosing a plurality of liquid absorbing units. Possibly, the container may be exchanged to a new one when the liquid absorbing units have been consumed. Alternatively, it may be saved and used together with a new set of liquid absorbing units. Advantageously, said container may comprise a cardboard material, which preferably is manufactured of a waste cardboard material. Alternatively, the container may be manufactured of a moulded wood fiber material. The side portions of the container ought hereby to have a shape such that they are inclined slightly outwards. Such containers manufactured in one piece may thereby be stacked in each other. Such a moulded container may at a selling occasion comprise a plurality of stacked liquid absorbing units. Said liquid absorbing units may be releasably glued to each other and to the container.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container and the liquid absorbing unit only comprise material, which after use allow for composting, burning or reclamation of waste paper. The container and the liquid absorbing unit may thereby substantially be manufactured of cardboard and paper material, which is manufactured of waste material. Consequently, the sanitary device is inexpensive to manufacture and is harmless to the environment.